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Found: Milky Way black hole's missing wind

2 days ago
  • #supermassive-black-hole
  • #galactic-wind
  • #astrophysics-discovery
  • Astrophysicists at Northwestern University have discovered evidence of a wind from the Milky Way's supermassive black hole, Sagittarius A*, solving a 50-year mystery.
  • Using ALMA radio telescope data, researchers created the sharpest image yet of cold molecular gas near Sgr A*, revealing a cone-shaped cavity carved out by hot wind.
  • The wind's existence confirms theoretical predictions that feeding black holes produce outflows, showing Sgr A* is not an outlier and operates in a quiet state.
  • The discovery aligns with X-ray observations from Chandra, providing strong evidence and offering new insights into black hole behavior during inactive phases.